More images from the road – our trip continues – Part 20

Our time on Vancouver Island is almost over and we would love nothing more than to stay. Qualicum Beach has become one of our favorite Canadian vacation locations. Before we leave there are a couple of events we had to attend. St. Mark’s Fair is the first and it is a great event. Here is how the Fair is described by the Qualicum Beach / Parksville tourism website;

The 39th annual ST. MARK’S FAIR, A Qualicum Beach Community Event is one of the Island’s largest and oldest Fairs hosting over 135 large indoor and outdoor booths which offer quality local crafts, homemade pastries (including “famous Holy Roller Pies”) preserves, antiques, curiosities, rare books and jewellery.

There are white elephant tables, plant sales, new-to-you-clothing, linens and laces, household tools and novelties. Vendors come from all over the Island and mainland and thousands of visitors return each year. Enjoy gourmet hamburgers, hotdogs and cold drinks at the outdoor grill, soup and sandwiches at the Curling Rink and a beverage garden at Legion Branch 76.

A variety of entertainment including The Rainbow Stew Cloggers and special children’s activities add to the excitement in this beautiful seaside village. Golf carts shuttle from the parking lot to the Fair all day.

A few of the vendors managed to help us part with some cash. We even met some former Yellowknife residents who now live in the Qualicum area. One interesting thing to note is that Kyla decided to purchase a Polaroid 600 camera, now where will I every find film for that, lol. It is a must to go to the fair if you are around at the time.

The second event we wanted to see was The Grand Prix d’art Painting Race. This event was happening around Qualicum Beach at the same time as St. Mark’s Fair. Here is some info about the race;

The Grand Prix d’Art will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2011. Grand Prix d’Art is a “race”; competing artists must complete a work of art “en plein air” in the space of three hours. This year each artist will be assigned a zone in the picturesque town of Qualicum Beach by lottery. Prior to the event, local businesses are approached to sponsor an artist. Those sponsoring businesses will be in the designated zones from which the artist must work. The work must represent or be inspired by some thing or person that is visible from the assigned location. Most locations are within walking distance of The Old School House. The finished work must be in presentation condition, titled and priced for sale no later than one hour after completion. A panel of three judges then determines the winners of the contest. An Artist Meal at the end of the event will be provided; companion meals may be purchased for $10.00. Prizes to be announced.

Schedule:

10:00 Registration and site selection 10:45 Proceed to site.11:00 When Town Clock strikes 11:00 pm – START YOUR PAINTING2:00 When Town Clock strikes 2:00 pm – STOP YOUR PAINTING, return to the Old School House for framing and hanging of pictures. Note: You may return to the Old School House at any time after you are finished your work.

Deadline: 2:15 – you must have returned to the Old School House.

Work is to be framed and priced for the 3:00 pm judging. No touch ups allowed.

3:00 Judging commences when the hanging is completed. An Artist Meal will be served at 3:00. Spouses and friends may join you for the meal. (Companion Meal: $10.00 fee should be paid when you register so we know the numbers.)

We had a great time looking around Qualicum Beach and seeing what was being painted. What a cool event. We had a good day and both events were awesome. Great job Qualicum Beach!

We call our activities earlier because we are crossing on the 8:30 am ferry to the BC mainland. We arrive at Departure Bay about one and a half hours earlier (thank goodness there is a Starbucks there). The girls play on the playground while we wait for the Queen of Oak Bay. Once onboard Dale and the girls find seats and I head to the Sun Deck with my camera gear. The sights while leaving Departure Bay and while arriving at Horseshoe Bay are breathtaking. Our next few days will consist of one night in Aldergrove, two nights in Revelstoke and then three nights in Jasper, AB before heading back to the NWT. So, for you people following along there will only be four or five parts remaining in this series, stay tuned. Here is a sample of the sights from BC Ferries, thanks for hanging around and as always Happy Shooting.